Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole's population expanded between the last two censuses. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure, health and marriage.

The population reached nearly 380,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 9.3%, from almost 347,000 to 379,000.

The addition of just over 32,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole was home to, on average, 17 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Average age stable in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Latest census data also show that the median age of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole remained 41 years in the decade to 2011.

This city had a slightly lower average age than the South West and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 10,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by almost 2,000.

About 14% of people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole that rented privately increased from 13% to 22% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in nine (12%) households lived in social housing, compared with 11% in 2001. The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole households that owned their home decreased from 74% to 64%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased faster here than the figure for the whole of the South West (from 11% in 2001 to 17% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 9.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the South West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 7.1% to 6.9% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 30 (3.6%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 3.0% in 2001. The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 90%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 7.0% in 2001 to 7.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole saw the South West's second-largest fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad.

In 2011, just under 1 in 18 (5.5%) in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole said their health was bad or very bad, compared with 9.3% in 2001. The percentage that perceived their health as good or very good increased from 67% to 81%.

Across the region, only Cornwall saw a greater fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad (from 10% to 6.3%).

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

Every local authority area across the South West saw a fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad, as the regional average fell from 8.5% to 5.1%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole decreased by 3.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the South West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole working less than 16 hours increased from 2.2% to 3.6% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 1 in 10 (9.6%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 13% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 2.1% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the South West and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

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